ra) CALIFORNIA CITRUS CULTURE. 
will always be at the command of the purchaser, is of great impor- 
tance to both the producer and consumer. The northern groves pos- 
sess two advantages: They supply the early better market, and the 
early ripened fruit is likely to precede any possible frost. 
LOCALITY. 
There are certain requirements that should always engage the most 
serious and painstaking attention of the one about to engage in the 
erowing of oranges and lemons: soil, water and climate are dominant 
factors in successful citrus culture. 
The soil should be a rich loam; either clay, or sand or gravel may 
predominate. We now know that humus is an absolute requisite for 
any productive soil or any crop, so a good supply of organic matter 
is essential. While in such arid soils as those of California, humus 
is unfortunately limited in amount, yet the nitrogen content of the 
humus in these soils is usually large; thus I say, rich loam, for 
though we may supply this decaying organic matter, when it is meager 
in quantity, yet the orchardist is most favored who has in his soil a 
goodly proportion of this valuable humus. We have only to mention 
Redlands, Riverside, Santa Paula, and Porterville to prove that the 
best citrus fruit can be produced on quite heavy clay; even adobe soil 
often produees first-class oranges and lemons; on the other hand, much 
of the San Gabriel Valley is remarkable for its sandy, gravelly acres. 
This soil may also boast of great crops of very superior fruit. The 
clay soils are very strong, very productive, very enduring, but they 
must be kept aerated and in good tilth, which is no light task. The 
man who cultivates a clay citrus grove must have good brain power, 
and must use his brains to the hmit. We may say a grove of heavy 
clay soil is first best if its owner is first best. Such soils must never 
be tilled when not in prime condition and the drainage should be per- 
fect. A sandy, gravelly soil is less retentive of moisture, is not so 
strong, and must be abundantly fed. It can be worked almost imme- 
diately after a heavy rain with no serious injury, and so may be 
handled with less of care, less of diligenece—in short, less of brains. 
Such soils suffer lttle from lack of aeration. I was told, in Sicily, 
that the lemons grown on clay soils were superior in quality, brought 
a higher price—one fourth more—and kept better than those grown 
on sandy soils. 
